Hayden Bill Would Force MTA to Buy New Buses

State Sen. Tom Hayden called Thursday for passage of legislation that would force the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to abide by the order of a court-appointed special master to buy 481 new buses.

Appearing outside that MTA’s headquarters, Hayden and state Sen. Kevin Murray, both Los Angeles Democrats, said the bill is needed because the transit agency’s refusal to follow the directive of Special Master Donald T. Bliss violates the civil rights of predominantly poor and minority bus riders.

Likening the MTA board to Southern governors defying orders to desegregate schools decades ago, Hayden said: “The Southern accents are gone, but the same defiance of court orders seems to be the bureaucratic order of the day.”

His bill would severely restrict the MTA’s ability to spend transportation funds on other projects until the agency identifies a guaranteed source of money to comply with a federal consent decree that requires reductions in overcrowding and improvement in bus service.

The legislation is strongly opposed by the MTA board, which last week appealed to Chief U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. in an effort to overturn Bliss’ order.

The MTA board argues that the additional buses would be a waste of money. The agency already plans to replace most of its troubled fleet with 2,095 new buses over the next five years. MTA officials contend that they can reduce overcrowding without being forced to buy more buses.